Street indicator and advertising device



. y 1941. T. G. DE WEESE 7 2,240,837

STREET INDICATOR AND ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed March 16,- 1940 NEXT ST'QP a 1 95 16 I DINEfi/V'AND D R 5 J3 x. r I I! THE. Rsunazvous 3L L a PaPuLAR Place: I"

- INVENTOR. 7710mm G-fie h/ese, fieceaseq.

=1 BY Maude wees Adm/m's/m/r/k A'ITORNEY.

Patented May 6, 1941 1;-;- N STATES PATENT OFFICE Thomas G. De Weese, deceased, late of Los Angeles, Calif, by Maude De Weese, administratrix, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 16, 1940, Serial No. 324,371

3 Claims.

The device of this invention relates to means to indicate the name of the street or other point of intersection which comprises a stop for public vehicles such as street cars, buses, etc., and while I am cognizant of prior patents issued for devices of similar character, nevertheless I believe the present invention possesses certain characteristics of structural arrangement which departs from the prior art, and in view thereof it may be stated that it is a prime object of the invention to provide a device of the character contemplated which is positive in operation and of such simple design as to be easily and readily manufactured.

. A further object of the invention is to provide a street indicator of relatively few parts which are not apt to become disarranged, and which will be -of relatively low cost.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a street. indicator and/or advertising device which may be easily and readily installed without structurally altering the structure used to support the device.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of means to retain a plural number of indicia carrying plates inlaminated relation and the inclusion of means to periodically separate one plate from the series of plates so that it will gravitationally move to a pendent position from which may be read the notation carried thereon.

Still another object of the invention is the inclusion of means to raise all of the plates or any portion of them from pendent position to nested and elevated position prior to again causing the plates to singly fall from elevated to pendent position. l

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of means to rotate the plates through an arc of 180 degrees to effect a reversal of the order or sequence of the plates, as for example, when a public vehicle moves from 1st street to l93rd street, it is necessary that upon the return trip that the indicator progressively move through the series of plates beginning with 193rd street and ending with 1st street.

Still another object of the invention resides in the inclusion of means to manually operate the indicator from remote points,'as for example, the operator of a street car or a bus can readily operate the device from his control station.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention may be readily apparent from the accompanying drawing, specification, and subjoined claims.

In the drawing, of which there is onesheet:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device of this invention in functional position but disassociated from a supporting structure.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device described in reference to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view partially in section as seen along line 3-3, in Figure 2 showing construction.

Figure 4 is a plan view of an escapement control adapted to release single plates carrying indicia, from an upper nested position to a hanging pendent position.

Figure 5 is a side-elevation in section as seen along line 5-5 in Figure 2, showing the plates in their several positions and showing operating structure adapted to release single plates from their upper nested position or non-functional position.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a detachable release pin adapted to release the plates upon quarter rotation thereof.

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail showing the plate release pin previously referred to in its detailed relation to the plates when in upper position.

Figure 8 is a face view of one of the plates used to carry indicia and shows an opening therein having its greater axis parallel with the greater length of the plate, and showing in dotted lines a similar opening in the next adjacent lower plate,

the exception being that here the greater axis is at right angles to that of the first stated opening,

and this alternate direction of axis of pin openings carries through the series of plates regardless of are observable.

A disc 18 is pivotally positioned upon the underside of the top 26 so that it is free to rotate about the axis of the pivot 22, while upon opposite sides of the pivot 22, I fixedly secure substantially V shaped members 24 which are formed of heavy wire or equivalent stock, and which are adapted to support a plural number of the plates l6 by reason of the members 24'being threadedly placed in openings 26 in each of the said plates.

, The disc I8 is formed with notches 28 which are placed. upon opposite sides of the pivot 22, and are adapted to receive a spring pressed pin 30 which uponentry in the notches 28 looks the disc l8 against rotation until such time as the pin 30 is released by applying pressure upon the finger grip 32. As shown in Figure 3 the pin 30 is held in functional position within a U shaped bracket 33 secured upon the wall 34 of the box 12. An arm 36 of arcuate shape and pivoted to the wall 38 upon a pin 48, and being operable by means of a manually operated lever 42, is adapted to sweep through the interior of the box l2 and to move the plates IS fromthe position Ilia shown in Figure to the position shown in position Nib. Normally the arm 36 is in the positions shown in Figures 3 placed.

An escapement device 48 secured top of the box I? is adapted to release one plate is at a time from the group of plates shown in Figures 5 and 7, and as shown in Figure 7 in particular, comprises a base plate upon the.

10. and 5, being in non-functional position when thus I 1 springy'l 'l which ,While temporarily depressed snaps into normal position upon movement of movement causes the opposite end 54b of the arm to stretch the spring 62 which upon release of pressure by the cord 60 causes the arms to rotate counter-clockwise to the point of beginning.

Movement of the arms 54 carries the catch 16 to also move, and in so doing its edge intersects one of the arms H of the quadrant or star-wheel l0 and forces rotationof the same through an arc of 90 degrees so that one of the arms H rides over the top surface of the one of the arms H through 90 degrees and preventsscounter rotation or movement of the said arms; and.carri'es' the pin 84 through a like 58 which is spot welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the top 28, and from which a tube 52 rigidly extends in a vertical direction.

Placed immediately above the plate are oppositely directed arms 54 which have outturned ends 56 and 58, the whole ,ofwhich is adapted to rotate around the tube 52 in response to manual effort pulling upon. the cord 60, and. in response to an oppositely directed force exerted by the extensile spring 62, which as shown in Figure 2 is secured at its opposite end to an eye let 64 in the top 20. A stop 66 extending upwardly from the plate 58 is adapted to prevent further movement of the integrated arms 54 by the spring 82.

A spacing washer 68 is placed around the tube 52 and above the arms 54, and resting thereupon I place a quadrant 18 having four i arms, each of which is provided with an inclined face 72 which are adapted to brush the facel lof an oscillatable spring pressed catch 36 wh ch is pivoted upon one of the arms 54 as shown in Figures 2 and 4. o

A tubularextension l8 projects from the top surface of the quadrant I8 and snugly encompasses in tube 52, and'is fixedly secured thereto by means of a pin 88, the inner end of which is adapted to move through an L shaped slot 82 formed in the upper end of the pin 84. The pin 84 is adapted to be insertedthrough an opening 86. formed in each of the plates l6 and is held in pendent position as. shown .in Figures 5 and 7 by reason of being given a partial turn afterthe pin 8ilentersthe slot 82, for this action locks the pin 89 within the lateral slot 8| of the slot 82. A key 86 secured in the lower end of the pin 84 is adapted to support the plates I6.

Operation of the indicator of this invention may be described as follows:

Assuming that the device of this invention has been installed in and mounted upon structure in the forward end of a public vehicle and that the cord is within arm reach of the. operator of the vehicle, and that all of the plates I6 are in upper stacked relation with respect to one another as shown in Figure 5.-

With the device arranged as above outlined, it is only necessary that the cord 60 be pulled in the direction of the arrow A in order to cause the lowermost of the plates I6 to gravitationally move from nested position to lower pendent position as shown in Figures 1 and 5.

A pulling force'upon the cord Bllcauses the arms 54 to partially rotate in a clock-wise direction so that the end 54a of the arm-moves.

from the full line position shown in Figure 4 to the dotted line positionshowntherein. This movement of 90 degrees, thereby moving the key'8'ii from the dotted line position 86a (see Figure 8) to a position in alignment with the greater axis of the opening 86 thereby enabling the lowermost of the plates IE to fall to the pendentposition |6a shown in Figure 5.

It will be noted that as the key 86' moves to release one of the plates i6, its movement concurrently acts to support the next adja cent. plate, for as previously stated the greater axisgof each of theopenings 86 lie at 90 degrees withthe opening in the next adjacent plate, and this alternate arrangement is carried through the entire series of plates.

Release of the cord 8!] permits counter-rotation of the arms 54 and while thus moving the face 14 of the catch it slides over the inclined or cam face 12 of the quadrant or star-wheel 10,

'to upper' nested position, the pin 84 having of course been removed from engagement with the pin by givingjit a slight rotation followed by a down pull, The pin 84 is then inserted through the opening 86, is again brought into engagement with the small pin 80 and after a partial rotation is again locked in functional position: Disengagement of the pin 30 from one of the notches 2a in disc l8 permits rotation and hence rever al of the plates 18 so that upon reaching the terminal of the run the order of street designation will be in proper sequence.

In eonclusionit may be stated that it is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made in practicing the invention in departure from the showing of the drawing and description as .given,. without however, departing from'thetrue spirit of the invention as defined by the scop'e of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a street indicator including a housing structure therefor, a plural number of plates having apertures therein to receive supporting members,'one of said apertures being elongated and arranged with the greater axis thereof in degree dispositions with respect to the next adjacent plate, closed U shaped members to partially support said plates; a pin positioned in said elongated aperture and having a key normally at right angles to the greater axis thereof to support a lowermost plate in horizontal position, means to enable movement of said pin and key to effect registry of the key with the greater axis of the elongated aperture, and means to limit movement of said pin and key to 90 degrees whereby a plate will be released to gravitationally move from said horizontal to a pendent vertical position on said U shaped member, said means comprising a quadrant in splined relation to said pin, and arms rotatably mounted around the axis of said pin and having a spring actuated catch adapted to engage an arm on said quadrant to move the same through an are 90 degrees, and a spring to return said arm to normal position subsequent to each movement thereof.

2. In an advertising device adapted to singly release apertured plates, means to support said plates in elevated position within a housing structure, said means including a rotatable pin having a key adapted to be brought into registry with one of the apertures in said plates, a starwheel, said star-wheel being adapted to receive said pin and means cooperating therewith whereby said pin is rotated through 90 degrees upon like movement of the star-wheel whereby regisry of said key with one of the apertures in said plate is efiected to mechanically release the plate so that the same will be gravitationally actuated to move to a lower and pendent position.

3. In an advertising device adapted to singly release a plate having a plural number'of apertures therein, means cooperating with certain of said apertures to partially support said plates, and means intermittently operative to singly release one plate at a time from a given elevation to a lower elevation, said last mentioned means including a pin having a key formed on the end thereof and adapted to be brought into registry with one of the said apertures, a star-wheel, lost motion means operatlvely joining said star-wheel and said pin whereby movement of the star-wheel is imparted to said pin to carry the key thereon into registry with one of the apertures in said plate to mechanically release the same, and means to limit movement of the said star-wheel to 90 degrees.

MAUDE DE WEESE, Administratrz'x of the Estate of Thomas G.

De Weese, Deceased. 

